Mguni elected new Bulawayo Mayor

MDC Alliance´s Ward 23 Councillor Solomon Mguni, was on Friday elected the new Mayor of the City of Bulawayo after defeating Ward 26 Councillor Norman Hlabano.

The Provincial Administrator, Konzani Ncube, Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube and the Chamber secretary Mrs Sikhangele Zhou conducted the elections at the Council Chambers.  

Mguni takes over from former Councillor Martin K Moyo who was defeated in the party`s primary elections by incumbent Councillor Tinashe Kambarami.

Councillor Kambarami was elected deputy mayor, defeating ward 1 councillor Mlandu Ncube who was widely tipped to land the post.

Speaking after the election, Mayor Mguni said he will make sure that Council provides quality service delivery to the residents.

“As the Mayor, l promise that the council that l lead will deliver a fair, equitable, quality and efficient services to the City of Bulawayo,” he said.

“Social amenities  in particular water and sanitation, refuse collection, functional clinics, street lights, refuse collection, pothole-free roads will be a center of our political administration as the council”.

The election were foreshadowed by a tribal storm after Councillor Colli Batirai torched a storm when he took his oath of office using the Shona language breaking away from tradition of using the English language.

Speaking on the issue, Mguni said the city should be united regardless of tribe.

 “Tribalism should not be an issue that divides Bulawayo,” said Mguni.

“Bulawayo has an identity and rich history and we must learn that King Mzilikazi built a nation with several ethnic groupings and thus residents must live in harmony”.